There’s a lot of oak on this Chard, sourced from multiple vineyards, and the barrel influences currently dominate, with the vanilla, butterscotch and caramel flavors many people confuse with the taste of Chardonnay itself. In this case, the underlying pineapple, pear and green apple fruit is ample enough to support all that weight.——S.H.(8/1/2009)—— 91